Scottish Parliament

Written Answers

Thursday 19 August 1999

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support farmers wishing to convert from conventional to organic farming.

Ross Finnie: Financial support for farmers wishing to convert is already available through the Organic Aid Scheme. The Scheme provides payments for 5 years on a sliding scale. I expect to make regulations to set increased payments this Autumn.

  In addition we provide funding for an organic helpline operated by the Scottish Agricultural College.

Agriculture

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to set targets for the production of organic food.

Ross Finnie: No. While we are keen to encourage the production of organic food, it is for the industry to react to the demands of the market.

Agriculture

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it intends to implement to enable Scottish agriculture producers to meet the growing consumer demand for organic produce.

Ross Finnie: Financial support is already available through the Organic Aid Scheme (OAS) to encourage farmers to convert to organic farming methods. It is my hope that increased payment rates, which should be available by October subject to approval of this Chamber, will further stimulate organic production.

  In addition, priority has been given to organic projects under the Marketing Development and Marketing and Processing Grants Schemes administered by the Rural Affairs Department.

Agriculture

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commission an investigation into the economic potential of organic food production in Scotland and an assessment of the environmental and economic impact of organic farming.

Ross Finnie: A review of the organic farming sector in Scotland, including an assessment of the environmental and socio-economic impacts of organic farming, is currently under way. A report is expected later this year, a copy will be placed in the Parliament library.

Civil Servants

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government regarding any changes required in the rules and conventions governing civil servants because of their involvement in attending committees of the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Civil Service Code has already been adjusted to take account of devolution. Subject to the terms of the code, matters relating to the conduct of civil servants, including their appearance before Committees of the Scottish Parliament, are within the delegated responsibilities of the Scottish Executive.

Finance

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to publish details of the current remit of its Chief Economic Adviser.

Mr Jack McConnell: The role of the Chief Economic Adviser is to provide advice on all economic issues affecting Scotland and to act as Head of Profession for all economists employed by the Scottish Executive.

Finance

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to introduce a statutory obligation on local authorities to fund providers of free independent consumer advice.

Mr Jack McConnell: The level of support for consumer advice services is a matter for local authorities to consider in the light of local needs and priorities and the resources available to them. The Executive has no plans to curtail this discretion.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to specify the grants available to develop harbours for each of the last ten years and the amount of funds available each year through these grants.

Mr John Home Robertson: During the last 10 years grants were available for fishery harbour development works under the Fisheries Act 1955 and the European Regional Development Fund. Expenditure in each of the last 10 years was as follows:

  

Year

Fisheries Act 1955 £

ERDF £



1989-90

187,666 

932,484 



1990-91

2,426,197 

182,033 



1991-92

935,973 

2,868,349 



1992-93

4,255,421 

443,478 



1993-94

2,277,850 

3,914,367 



1994-95

2,416,106 

2,648,800 



1995-96

790,344 

2,798,000 



1996-97

2,376,924 

2,535,000 



1997-98

2,697,204 

3,155,000 



1998-99

1,927,381 

2,107,200

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of fishing licences in circulation, by category, for each of the last ten years.

Mr John Home Robertson: The Scottish Executive does not hold centrally comprehensive data on fishing licences prior to 1996. The number of licences administered by Scottish Ports on January 1 for the last four years is shown in the following table:

  

Category
1999


1998


1997


1996




A-White Fish
884


929


964


1015




A-Pelagic
53


52


56


58




B
96


97


98


110




C
72


68


69


75




Under 10 metres
1693


1640


1633


1574




Other
2


5


12


28




Total
2800


2791


2832


2860






  Category A licences, split into white fish and pelagic, entitle holders to fish for most relevant species and in most areas. Categories B and C impose further restrictions according to both species and area. Under 10 metre licences are restricted to vessels of this length or under.

  The figures include licences on vessels and those held as entitlements.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will specify expenditure on fisheries for each of the last ten financial years.

Mr John Home Robertson: Total expenditure on fisheries for each of the last 10 years is covered in the answers to PQ No S1W-888 and PQ No S1W-863.

Transport

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the report into the operation of Caledonian MacBrayne ferries on the Firth of Clyde will be published.

Sarah Boyack: In 1997 The Scottish Office commissioned consultants Deloitte & Touche to examine future options for the provision of ferry services between Gourock and Dunoon. The report was received by the Government at the end of last year. One of the options was identified late in the research and the Government commissioned additional work to explore this more fully. This further material has now been received and I plan to make the reports publicly available soon.

Transport

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been carried out on alternative pricing strategies for Caledonian MacBrayne.

Sarah Boyack: A study on the impact of changes in ferry fares was commissioned in 1998 by The Scottish Office and presented to the November 1998 meeting of the Convention of the Highlands and Islands. It was agreed that the Highlands and Islands Integrated Transport Forum be invited to consider the report in greater detail, including consideration of options for further study, and to report back to the Convention. The Forum’s views are awaited.

  Revenue deficit grant, amounting to £14.8 million for 1999-2000, is made available by the Government to enable Caledonian MacBrayne to keep fares as low as possible.

Transport

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail plans to progress the construction of a by-pass for Maybole.

Sarah Boyack: There are no plans to build a Maybole bypass. However, £2m has been spent on implementing village gateways, traffic calming and management measures in settlements along the A77. At Maybole work to install the village gateway scheme should be completed in September.

Transport

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question number S1O-93 by Sarah Boyack on 24 June 1999, to specify an exact timetable for the announcement of the conclusions of the trunk roads review.

Sarah Boyack: I refer Mr Ewing to the answer I gave to Mr Tosh on 24 June.

Water Industry

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which bodies it intends to involve in the recruitment process for the Water Industry Commissioner for Scotland and specifically whether it intends to involve the Parliament in this process.

Sarah Boyack: Under the Water Industry Act 1999, it is for the Scottish Executive to appoint the Commissioner. The Executive will make the appointment in full accordance with the principles in the Code of Practice for Public Appointments. This means the Commissioner will be appointed on the basis of merit following an open recruitment exercise. An independent assessor will be closely involved in the exercise to ensure that all candidates are treated equally and their suitability for the post judged against the same criteria.

  No other bodies will be involved in the exercise. The Parliament's role will be to hold the Executive to account for the appointment. Subsequently, the Parliament will be able to hold the Commissioner to account for the manner in which he or she discharges the functions of the post, including the general function to promote the interests of water customers.

Water Industry

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the membership of each Water Industry Consultative Committee will be announced and what criteria will be used in appointing members.

Sarah Boyack: Under the Water Industry Act 1999 the Water Industry Commissioner will appoint members to the three Water Industry Consultative Committees. The Scottish Executive expects the Commissioner to take up his or her appointment on 1 November, and to appoint Committee members as soon as possible after that date.

  The Commissioner in making these appointments will take into account guidance from the Executive, which will cover the detailed role of the Consultative Committees, and the principles to be observed in recruiting members of the Committees. The guidance will be published.